Chicago Cubs - TeamReport

March 06, 2013|Reuters

MLB Team Report - Chicago Cubs - INSIDE PITCH

It has been one nagging injury after another during the first week of Cactus League play for the Cubs.

First it was pitcher Matt Garza (lat) and third baseman Ian Stewart (quadriceps). Then it was star shortstop Starlin Castro, who left the Feb. 27 game with a tight left hamstring after he pulled up lame running out an infield hit.

While Garza and Stewart find their statuses uncertain, the Cubs were terming Castro's situation "day to day." In fact, Castro was able to take part in the Cubs' annual bunting tournament the next day.

"It was tight, and he was jogging around in the trainer's room after he got worked on a little bit," said manager Dale Sveum, who added that his initial reaction was "not good" when he saw Castro pull up. "It was more tight than a pull or anything like that, so he's just day to day. Thank God, nothing real major at all."

Castro played in all 162 games last season, becoming the first Cub to appear in 162 as a shortstop. He said that's his goal again this season. Sveum opened spring training by saying Castro's next goal should be to win a Gold Glove.

"I don't want to be hurt, man," Castro said. "I feel too good this year to start the season hurt. The trainers took care of me. I think it's not bad."

If there's any upside, the Cubs can get an extended look at highly touted shortstop prospect Javier Baez while Castro takes it easy on his hamstring. Baez, the Cubs' first-round draft pick in 2011, won't make the team out of spring training, but the Cubs are excited about his upside, both at the plate and in the field.

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MLB Team Report - Chicago Cubs - NOTES, QUOTES

--RHP Matt Garza began playing catch on the last day of February as he rehabs from a left-lat injury. Garza, who is coming off a right-elbow "stress reaction," injured the lat in the early days of throwing at spring training. It's possible Garza will not be able to open the season on time. Manager Dale Sveum said it was "way too early to evaluate," but the Cubs will be cautious with their ace. "We're planning on him being ready for the start of the season," Sveum said.

--SS Starlin Castro left the Feb. 27 game with a tight left hamstring after he pulled up lame running out an infield hit. He was ruled "day to day" but was able to take part in the Cubs' annual bunting tournament the next day. "It was tight, and he was jogging around in the trainer's room after he got worked on a little bit," manager Dale Sveum said. "It was more tight than a pull or anything like that, so he's just day to day. Thank God, nothing real major at all."

"I don't want to be hurt, man," said Castro, who last season became the first Cubs shortstop to appear in all 162 games. "I feel too good this year to start the season hurt. The trainers took care of me. I think it's not bad."

--RHP Jeff Samardzija is in line to get the Opening Day start, with RHP Matt Garza rehabbing from a lat-muscle injury. Samardzija wound up the de facto No. 1 starter in the second half of last season after Garza suffered an elbow injury and pitchers Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm were traded. Samardzija said he would rather the competition be settled on the field than because of injury. "We're still waiting to see what happens with Garz and how he comes along," Samardzija said. "They know where I stand on it and how I feel. It's nice to have a few guys who are capable of doing it."

--RHP Carlos Villanueva faced just five batters in his spring debut, against the Dodgers. He was scheduled to throw 30 pitches but threw 16 to the first batter he faced and could not last one inning. "In a perfect world, it would have been six up, six down," he said. Villanueva, whom the Cubs signed late in the offseason as a swing man, has a chance to be in the rotation when the season starts because of the uncertain health situations of RHP Matt Garza (lat injury) and RHP Scott Baker (on comeback from Tommy John surgery).

--3B Ian Stewart has been set back by a left-quad strain. The injury may cost him the first two weeks of the Cactus League season. Stewart missed more than half of last season with a left-wrist injury that required surgery in July. He's fighting to make the team this year, having signed a non-guaranteed contract after the Cubs non-tendered him over the winter. The Cubs' fallback position is veteran Luis Valbuena, who played third base most of the second half last year. They want to get prospect Josh Vitters minor-league at-bats after he struggled in August and September last year.